1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a package for storing a product and, more specifically, to a package with an integrated radio frequency identification tracking device and a method and apparatus for manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various types of disposable, portable containers are known in the art for storing products. Examples of types of containers include a cardboard box, a metal can, a plastic bottle, a glass bottle or a tray or a flexible pouch. The flexible pouch is increasingly popular, due to its adaptability in storing a variety of products in various forms, including liquids, solids, or some combination thereof. Consumers recognize the convenience of flexible pouches over other types of containers due to their shape, size, shelf life and storage adaptability. Manufacturers recognize the packaging benefits of a flexible pouch, since the pouch can be formed and filled on the same manufacturing line.
The flexible pouch is made from a flexible material, preferably a laminate composed of sheets of plastic or aluminum or other suitable materials. An outer layer of the material may include preprinted information, such as a logo or the like, to provide the consumer with information regarding the contents of the pouch. The pouch includes a front and a back wall. Edges of the panel, such as a side edge, upper edge or lower edge, are joined together using a sealing technique such as bonding or welding. The pouch may be formed and/or filled using conventionally known manufacturing techniques, such as a horizontal form-fill-seal machine with a single or multiple lanes, a flat bed pre-made pouch machine, a vertical form-fill machine, or the like. An example of a method and apparatus for filling a flexible pouch with a product is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,199,601, which is incorporated herein by reference.
At the same time, various types of disposable packages are available for use in heating or cooking foods in an oven, including a conventional electric or gas oven, a convection oven or a microwave oven. A common feature of the disposable, heatable package is a venting means, which provides for the release of steam or any other gas that may be generated within the package. The tray covered by a film or a flexible pouch may be used as a disposable container for both storing and cooking the food product contained therein. Advantageously, the disposable container may be used in cooking a frozen food, or a food at room temperature.
Under some circumstances, it may be desirable to track the location of the package within the distribution chain. For example, the package may be tracked while at the manufacturing facility, at a warehouse facility, during shipping, or at a retail outlet or for any other purpose.
In the past, transmitters were applied to directly to the outside of the package or to a group of packages, by a machine or by an operator. However, this is not a reliable technique, since the tag is subject to loss or substitution. Thus, there is a need in the art for a package with an integrated tracking means, and a method and apparatus for making the same.